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Athletes performing in some of the biggest sports
competitions such as the Olympics, Super Bowl or even March
Madness must learn to pivot from the most euphoric highs and
gut-wrenching lows. Here are a few tips for keeping cool amid
intense pressure and scoring those buzzer-beating baskets.

1. Stay loose. The brighter the spotlight, the
greater the tendency for us to tighten up. The more we want
something, the greater we fear not accomplishing it. And while
some level of fear is healthy, too much can cause our mind and
body to tighten up. In sports it is called “dead man walking.”
It’s a term used when a player losses confidence and his fear of
getting cut affects his or her ability to play ball. It has
turned great players into ones that look like they don’t belong.
Disconnect from the fear of failure and be completely accepting
whatever result may come.

2. Keep a short memory. Entrepreneurs and
athletes need have to have a short memory. We all experience
victories and defeats but can’t allow the good days to go to our
head or the bad days to take over our hearts. What you did in the
past is less important than what you are about to do in the
future. Any time you have a self-defeating or negative thought
that is hard to get rid of, visualize a fast-moving river flowing
right through your head carrying the thought away. Remember that
each day is a new opportunity, a new beginning and another chance
to learn, even if you fell flat on your face yesterday.

3. Find leaders but watch out for victims.
Victims can destroy the chemistry of an entire team; a victim is
someone who places blame and is always looking at others for an
excuse for his orher own failure. In business, such people blame
management, the product or co-workers for their failures. In
athletics, they blame coaches, game plans and the front office.
Identify victims in your life and remove them as quickly as
possible, regardless of their competency or skill set.

Conversely, leaders take charge. They don’t need too much
direction and when they encounter a challenge or barrier they
navigate it -- individually or with others.

4. Trust the experts. As entrepreneurs, we like
to think we can do everything, but where it makes sense, bring in
experts. For example, I’m no IT expert, so my company partners
with a technology company that helps us manage our servers,
connectivity and laptops.

We partner with a bank to help ensure that we have the right
tools to manage our working capital. It’s similar in sports where
you should rely upon and trust your coaches, trainers and
teammates to all do their jobs. It’s all about having the
best team, not the best individual.

5. Suppress your ego. Life is too short to
always feel the need to be right. Let go of the need to win and
you will no longer want to “beat” competitors for selfish or
egotistical reasons. Concentrate only on the things that are in
your direct control, while eliminating elements that are out
of your control.

There are wins and losses ahead for all of us. Remain even-keeled
along the way and don’t allow yourself to get too high from your
victories nor too low in your defeats. This will help you
navigate life’s ebbs and flows with a greater sense of
consistency and success.